Pump



May 5, 1959 'E. M. PATTERSON PUMP Filed sept. 5. 1958 z mm w wu w v v o m3 w United States ard-Thomson Corporation, Vandalia, Ghio, a corporation of Delaware Application September 5, '1956, Serial No. 608,041 Claims. (Cl. 103-152) This invention relates to a pump. The invention relates more particularly to a positive displacement pump.

An object of this invention is to provide a pump which is capable of discharging metered quantities of fiuid.

Another object of this invention is to provide a pump which has silent operation.

Another object of this invention is to provide a pump which has a minimum number of moving parts.

Another object of this invention is to provide a pump which has no rotating elements and which may be electrically operated.

Another object of this invention is to provide a pump which has long life.

Other objects and advantages reside in the constructon of parts, the combination thereof, the method of manufacture, and the mode of operation, as will become more apparen't from the following description.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a side s'ectional view showing a pump assembly of this invention.

Figure 2 is a side sectional view similar to Figure 1 but showing the moving parts of the pump assembly in other positions of operation.

Figure 3 is a side sectional view of a preferred modification of a pump assembly of this invention.

Referring to the drawings in detal, a pump assembly of this invention comprises` a container member 10, as shown in Figures 1 and 2. Within the lcontainer member is an elastic 'body 12 provided with a bore or cavity 14 therein. The elastic body 12 is provided with a scaling flange 16 at one end thereof which extends through one end wall of the container member 10.

Within the container member 10 and engaging the elastic body 12 is a quantity of thermal responsive expansible-contractible material 18. This thermal responsive expansible-contractible material 18 may be any element or any combination of elements giving 'the material the physical property characteristics of a high co-efiicient of expansion over a given temperature range.

Also within the container member 10 and disposed within 'the thermal responsive expansible-cont'ractible material 18 is an electric heater element 20 which is provided with extending external conductor leads 22 which are adapted to connect to any suita'ble source of electrical energy. One of the conductor leads 22 is provided with a switch 23 for controlling fiow of electrical energy to the heater element 20.

Attached to the container member 10 and joining the cavity 14 of the elastic body 12 is afiuid conduit member 24. The end of the conduit 24 opposite the cohtainer 10 has a discharge passage 25. The fiuid conduit member 24 is provided with a uni-directional 'valve mechanism 26 within the discharge passage 25. The valve mechanism 26 permits flow of fiuid; only' outwardly through the discha-rge passage 25 in the direction shown by arrows 28 in Figure 2.

,884,866 lifl'tented May 5, 1959 Ioined to the fiuid conduit member 24 intermediate the container member 10 Vand thel valve niechanisin 26 is a fiuid conduit member 30 which connects to a tank 32 which is provided with a supply of fiuid 34. Within the fiuid conduit member 30 is a uni-directional valve mechanism 36 which permits flow of fiuid only from the tank 32, as shown by arrows 38 in Figure 1.

The uni-directional valve mechani'sms 26 and 36 may be of any suitable type.

When the switch member 23 is open the electric heater element 20 is deenergized. Thus, the expansilble-contractible material 18 is not heated and contracts so that the elastic body 12 is substantially in the Shape shown in Figure 1. The cavity 14 within the elastic body is thus fully open as shown in Figure l. Thus, fiuid 34 from the supply thereof within the tank 32 flows through the valve mechanism 36, through the fiuid conduit 30 as shown 'by arrows 38. T hence, the fiuid flows into the fluid conduit 24 and into the cavity 14 until the cavity 14, the fiuid conduits 24, and 30 are completely filled.

When it is desired to discharge fiuid by means of the pump assernbly, the switch 23 is closed so that the heater element 20 within the container member 10 is energized. Thus, the heater element 20 heats the expansible-contractible material 18 so that the eXpansible-contractible material 18 expands. Expansion of the expansible-contractible material 18 causes the material 18 to fill completely all portions of the container member 10 which are not occupied by the elastic body 12. Further expansion of the eXpansible-contractible material 18 causes the side walls of the elastic body 12 which form the cavity 14 to be forced inwardly as shown in Figure 2. Thus, fiuid from withinlthe cavity 14 is forced outwardly from 'the cavity 14. The fiuid is thus forced through the valve mechanism 26 and through the discharge passage 25, as shown 'by arrows 28 in Figure 2. The valve members 26 and 36 prevent fiuid from flowin'g in a reverse manner into the :tank 32 rather than outwardly through the discharge passage 25.

The amount of fiuid discharged through the valve mechanism 26 is dependent upon the volumet-rie capacity of the cavity 14 of the elastic body 12. Thus, when 'the bore or cavity 14 is completely closed by expansion of the material 18, the amount of fiuid which flows outwardly through the valve mechanism 26 and through the discharge passage 25 is e'qual to the volumetric capacity of the cavity 14.

After the discharge through the 'valve mechanism 26 occurs, as sh'own i`n Figure 2, the switch 23 is opened in order to permit the expansible-contractible material 18 to contract; permitting the elastic body 12 to resume the Shape thereof shown in Figure 1 so that the maxi'- murn volumetric capacity of the cavity 14 is again ob'- tained, as shown in Figre 1. Thus,-the bore or cavity 14 is again fill'ed with fluid from the supply there'of within the tank 32, as shown by arrows 38 in Figure 1.

In Figure 3 is shownJ a preferred modification of the pump asseinbly of this irivention'. A container member 40 has an opening at each end theref. Within the container member 40 is an elngate elastic body 42 which is provided with a cavity or bore 44| extending -the length: thereof; The ends of the cavity dr bore 44 are open and in` aligntne'nt with the opening at each end of the' coritainer member 40.

A tank member 4a, adja'cent the ,cqmjaine'r member' 40; contains a supply of fiuid 48. A' fluidconduit 50 jom the tank member' 46 to' one end of the cn'ta'inflr 'rnmtt unidirectional valve mechani'sfri 52 within the: fiuid duit'l and intothe borel44`i'f`ti1'e 'e'lii body 42. Connected to the contain'er member 40 at4 the iid throf opposite the fluid conduit 50 and joining the cavity 44 is a discharge conduit 54 which is provided with a unidirectional valve mechanism 56. Thus, the cavity 44 and all of the space between the valve mechanisrn 52 and 56 are completely filled With fluid from the tank 46.

Surrounding the elastic body 42 within the container member 40 is a quantity of eXpansible-contractible material 18 of the `character discussed above with respect to Figures 1 and 2. An electric heater element 58 is disposed within the eXpansible-contractible material 18 and is provided with electric conductor leads oil which are adapted to be connected to a source of electrical energy.

Thus, when it is desired to discharge a quantity of fluid through the discharge conduit 54 the electric heater element 58 is heated by means of the conductor leads 6th so that the walls of the elastic body 42 which form the cavity 44 are forced one toward the other as shown by broken lines in Figure 3. Thus, the fluid from within the cavity 44 is discharged outwardly therefrom and through the valve mechanism 56 and outwardly through fthe discharge :conduit 54 as shown by arrows 66 in Figure 3.

The uni-directional valve mechanisms 52 and 56 prevent reverse flow of the fluid as the fluid is forced from the bore 44. In a manner similar to that discussed in regard to the preferred embodiment of Figures 1 and 2, the amount of fluid discharged upon each actuation of the pump of Figure 3 is dependent upon the Volumetric capacity of the cavity 44 within the elastic body 42.

If desired, the electric heater element of the pump of this invention may be energized with lesser current or for a shorter period of time so as to only partially close the cavity of the elastic body. 'If the cavity is only partially closed by expansion of the eXpansible-contractible material 18, only a portion of the fluid within the cavity is forced therefrom. Thus, a metered quantity of fluid less than the to-tal volume of the cavity or bore is obtained.

It is also to be understood that any suitable means other than an electric heater element for heating the expansiblecontractible material 18 within a container of this inven- (tion :may be used.

Although the preferred embodiment of the device has been described, it will be understood that within the purview of this invention various changes may be made in the form, details, proportion and arrangement of parts, the combination thereof and mode of operation, which generally stated consist in a device capable of carrying out the objects set forth, as disclosed and defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A pump assembly for discharging metered quantities of fluid including a container having rigid enclosing walls, the container having an aperture through one of the enclosing walls thereof, an elastic body within the container, the elastic body having a cavity therein which is open at one end thereof, the elastic body being in engagement with the said enclosing wall of the container which has the aperture therethrough, the open end of the cavity being in direct communication with the aperture, thermal responsive expansible-contractible material enclosed within the container exterior of the elastic body, an electric heater element within the thermal responsive expansiblecontractible material, means joinng the electric heater element to a sounce of electrical energy, a fluid conduit member joined to the container, the conduit member having an open end thereof in alignment with the aperture through said end wall so that the conduit member communicates directly With the cavity of the elastic body, the conduit member having an outlet passage spaced from the container and provided with a unidirectional valve therein permitting flow of fluid therefrom, the conduit member also having an inlet passage spaced from the container and provided with a unidirectional valve joining the conduit member to a source of fluid supply.

2. A pump assembly comprising a container provided with rigid enclosing walls, the container having an 'aperture extendng through one of said enclosing walls, an elastic body within the container, the elastic body having a cavity therein open at one end thereof, the elastic body being in engagement with said enclosing wall of the container having the aperture therethrough, the open end of the cavity being in alignment and in direct communication with said aperture, thermal responsive expansiblecontractible material enclosed within the container exterior of the elastic body, an electric heater member connected to' the container for heating the expansible-contractible material, means connecting the heater member to a source of electrical energy, a fluid conduit member attached to the container and having an open end thereof in direct communication with the aperture through said enclosing Wall, the conduit member having an inlet passage and an outlet passage, each of said passages being exterior of the container.

3. A pump for discharging metered quantities of fluid comprising a container member, an elastic body within the container member, the elastic body having wall members forming a bore therein, the container member having fluid port means communicating with the bore of the elastic body so that fluid may fiow through the port means into and out of the bore of the elastic body, thermal responsive expansible-contractible material enclosed within the container member engaging the elastic body and arranged to move said wall members one toward the other upon sufiicient expansion of the expansiblecontractible material, electric heater means within the expansible-contractible material, fluid within the bore thus being forced therefrom by expansion of the expansiblecontractible material, the amount of fluid forced from the bore being dependent upon the amount of expanson of the eXpansible-contractible material.

4. A pump for dispensing fiuids comprising a container, an elastic body within the container, the elastic body having wall members 'forming a bore therein, the container having a fluid port communicating with the bore of the elastic body, thermal responsive eXpansible-contractible material enclosed within the container exterior of the elastic body, heater means within the expansible-'contractible material, means for conducting fluid to and from the container so that fluid may enter the bore and flow out of the bore, fluid within the bore of the elastic body being discharged therefrom by expansion of the expansible-contractible material which expansion causes inward movement of the wall members forming the bore of the elastic body.

5. A fluid pump comprising a container member having a fluid port through an enclosing wall thereof, fluid conduit means joining the fluid port of the container member to a source of fluid, unidirectional valve means permitting flow of fluid into said conduit means, the concluit means having an outlet port, unidirectional valve means in said outlet port permitting flow of fluid from said fluid conduit means, an elastic body within the container member, the elastic body having a bore therein communicating with said fluid port of the container member, a thermal responsive eXpansible-contractible material enclosed within the container member eXterior of the elastic body and in engagement therewith, heater means connected to the container member for heating the expansible-contractible material.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 776,106 Beurrier Nov. 29, 1904 2,620,966 Balhouse Dec. 9, 1952 2,688,923 Bonaventura Sept. 14, 1954- 2,738,731 Brown Mar. 20, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 287,267 Great Britain Mar. 22, 1928 859,743 Germany Dec. 15, 1952 

